Wednesday August 08, 2012
Kaieteur News
Page 27
Massiah back as USA Berbice Basketball Summer camp captain for WCL Division 4 progressing well, event extended
USA News/Cricinfo Steve Massiah, who missed the World Twenty20 Qualifier in March after a legal battle starting late in 2011 forced him to surrender his passport to US federal authorities, has received a USA recall. Massiah was named captain once again, in the 14-man USA squad selected for the ICC World Cricket League Division Four that will be played in Malaysia from September 3-10. Massiah, 33, was arrested in November along with two other men in connection with an alleged $50 million dollar mortgage fraud scheme run by New York real estate broker Ed Ahmad. Massiah’s arrest warrant was issued for allegedly defrauding banks and mortgage companies by falsifying mortgage loan applications. Such charges could have carried a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and bail for Massiah was set at $150,000. His travel was restricted to New York, although he received special permission to play at a cricket tournament in Florida in December. Court documents show that Massiah’s attorney was engaged in plea negotiations for at least three months. Massiah was never indicted and the federal complaint against him and his two codefendants was eventually dismissed on March 19. Sources claim that attorneys for the three men completed a plea deal to avoid trial and potential jail time. With Massiah’s case resolved, it opened the door for his return to the national team. According to sources, a USA Cricket Association board meeting was held last month to discuss whether or
Steve Massiah not he should be named captain again. The decision was made to restore him to the position, which had been filled by Sushil Nadkarni in March at the Twenty20 Qualifier in the UAE. Nadkarni, 36, will serve as the vice-captain on the tour to Malaysia. Also returning to the squad are three other veterans who have missed recent tournaments either due to work obligations or injury - Timroy Allen, Rashard Marshall and Aditya Thyagarajan. Most notable among them is Thyagarajan, USA’s leading run-scorer in 2010. Thyagarajan, 33, has not played for USA since January 2011 when he suffered a severe right knee dislocation against Denmark at ICC World Cricket League Division Three in Hong Kong. After a lengthy rehabilitation process, he has finally been declared fit to come back to the national team. The return of such key veterans, particularly in the batting department, will be vital for USA in an evenlymatched tournament field that includes Denmark, Malaysia,
Nepal, Singapore and Tanzania. The competition in Malaysia may actually prove to be more grueling than what lies ahead in Division Three. The top two finishers from Division Four will be promoted to join Bermuda, Italy, Oman and Uganda in Division Three, which is scheduled to take place in Bermuda from April 28-May 5, 2013, according to a USACA press release. Wicketkeeper Akeem Dodson is the other player earning a recall after missing out on selection for the Twenty20 Qualifier when USA opted to hand a new cap to Nauman Mustafa, 37, behind the stumps rather than persist with the still developing Dodson, 24. However, Mustafa was stripped of the keeping duties one match into the tournament after a disastrous debut against Uganda. He was given an opportunity to atone later in the event but he never lived up to his domestic reputation with the bat, was sloppy with the gloves and as a result has been axed. Adil Bhatti, Asif Khan, Andy Mohammed, Japen Patel and Gowkaran Roopnarine are the others who have been dropped. Dodson is one of five players in the squad to have represented USA at an ICC U19 World Cup and is also one of two America-born players in the squad along with Steven Taylor, 18. Taylor was impressive for USA on the tour to the UAE in March. He scored 40 off 30 balls in USA’s seven-wicket upset win over Scotland and finished second on the runs charts behind Nadkarni at the Twenty20 Qualifier.
The Basketball youth camp organized by the Berbice Basketball Association for youngsters in the East Berbice area is progressing well. This is according to coordinator and president of the association Kirk Fraser. The sessions, which began on Monday 25th July, have been intense and have already gone past is stipulated two weeks period. The sessions are being held Monday to Friday from 9am to 12pm at the Vryman’s Erven Basketball court. During the sessions so far the players had the opportunity to interact with former national player and overseas based Guyanese Sean Semple. Semple has so far conducted many sessions with the youths whom he says have a
far way to go if they take the game seriously. He expressed satisfaction in seeing the youths coming out and encouraged them to do their best and make their county proud. Players are also benefiting from the expertise of former national youth cricketer Anthony D’Andrade who is also an accomplished basketball player. D’Andrade, who recently qualified with a Bachelor in Sports Studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago, took them through fitness exercises and agility routines and gave a lecture on Sports in Human Development. During the first week of the camp the youths was also visited by former national Volleyball stalwart and
Basketball player Charles “Wheels” Henry. A number of youngsters including both male and females are being taught at the sessions. Apart from the extra sessions they have conducted, sessions in basic Basketball which includes passing, shooting, dribbling, intercepting and team building among other moves have been dealt with. The participants are also expected to deal with social ills, health and Hygiene including lectures on HIV/ AIDS, Drug Abuse and delinquency. Before the end of the camp they will be involved in community activities in and around the town of New Amsterdam. Certificates are also expected to be issued to the successful participants.
Grenada parties after Kirani James wins Olympic gold BBC - The Caribbean island nation of Grenada erupted in celebration after Kirani James stormed to victory in the men’s 400m at the London Olympics. Grenadians danced, cheered and waved flags in the streets as James, 19, won the country’s first Olympic gold in a personal best of 43.94 seconds. James was a “real good role model for our young people,” Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas told the BBC. The government declared Tuesday afternoon a holiday. James, already the world champion, became the first non-US athlete to run the distance in under 44 seconds.
Kirani James “My message to Kirani James is to continue doing what he’s been doing. He’s been a very good influence on our young people,” Mr
Thomas said. “He’s very disciplined, very organised and very focused.” There were noisy celebrations in James’s home village of Gouyave. Local journalist Nicole Best told AFP news agency that most Grenadians thought he would leave his mark on the Games. “Achieving gold went beyond our expectations”. Grenadians are hoping the win by James will raise the profile of their nation, which has a population of just over 100,000 and is largely reliant on tourism. “We expect more success from this and that many more people will be inquiring about Grenada.” banker Robert Frederick told AFP.